Man charged with killing 64-year-old mother

Southington, Conn. (WTNH) -
Police say a New Britain man went to his mother's home in Southington and beat her to death, then stole her car.

64-year-old Donna D'Aquila was found dead Thursday inside her home at 59 South Road. The cause was blunt force trauma to the head.

"We felt bad but there's not much we can do about it," said neighbor Claude Boutote. "All the cops going around, I didn't know , they call it murder. I didn't know it was murder."

D'Aquila son, 34-year-old James D'Aquila was arrested in New Britain on Thursday after police say he beat his mother to death. He was arraigned Friday morning and handed a $1.5 million bond.

"I'm very shocked, I was shocked when they told me what happened, cause I feel very safe here," said Maureen Horne.

D'Aquila has a criminal history and it was revealed in court he takes medication for schizophrenia. Neighbors say they saw him at his mother's house at least once a week, and never noticed any problems or concerns.

"She told the wife one time that she says, 'I don't, I'm not a well person,'" Boutote said. "She had a hard time to walk."

D'Aquila is scheduled to appear in New Britain Superior Court on February 16.